William H. Kibbel III

William H. "Bill" Kibbel III, 63, of Quakertown, PA, passed away after a short illness, surrounded by family, on February 20, 2026. Born in Trenton and raised in Pennington, New Jersey, Bill was the beloved husband of Dianna L. (Chilton) Kibbel for 31 years and the proud father of William H. Kibbel IV and Julie A. Kibbel. He was the son of William H. Kibbel Jr. and Anja T. (Inne) Kibbel, whom he spoke of often with love and gratitude. Their guidance and care shaped his independence, his work ethic, his devotion to family, and his deep sense of responsibility. He was the younger brother of Candace (Kibbel) Kwiatek, her younger playmate and very first student as a promising teacher, she recalls fondly.

He enjoyed a happy childhood: newspaper routes, serving as an altar boy at St. James Church in Pennington - where he would later be married, and growing up with his parents and sister, Candy. The importance of family continued throughout his life.

Bill built things. He built a strong marriage, a steady home, and a career grounded in expertise, skill, and integrity. He built furniture and restored wood with patience and precision. He built trust in his profession through depth of knowledge and a reputation for speaking plainly and honestly.

The history of buildings mattered to Bill. While others read books, he read primary documents for pleasure. When he built period-specific furniture, which was highly coveted, he used period tools. He traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe to experience the places he had studied for years. He participated in historical reenactment and restoration communities and brought knowledge and good humor into those spaces.

Bill described his younger years as "a little wild," riding motorcycles, skiing fast, and occasionally paying for it with a broken bone or two. His sister vividly remembers two broken-bone incidents. One involved their basement's folding ping-pong table which, not yet two, he managed to catch with his legs when it fell over. Broken leg. Years later, they were riding bikes together on Dublin Road when Bill's handlebars loosened and he went flying head-first onto the shoulder – both the road's and his. Broken collar bone. He was proud that he mowed neighbors' lawns to make his own way, to buy what he wanted, never asking anyone for anything. That independence stayed with him. Many other stories of his adventures will go with him into the unknown.

To bring order and direction to his path, he attended Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, VA, finishing as a Captain and training for a military career. He went on to college planning to continue that path, but instead followed his heart and studied art.

Bill's professional life began in building and inspections and moved into a career in historic homes and preservation. He was widely respected in his field and traveled nationally to teach and speak about the care, structure, and story of older buildings. He respected historic builders, their hard work, their ingenuity, and their use of tools. The old buildings needed Bill to tell their story.

Many described him as a pre-eminent expert on American buildings from the 17th to the 19th century. It can't be overstated how valuable he was. Not only did he seem to know it all, he was generous in sharing and teaching what he knew. Colleagues valued his uncanny knowledge, his thorough research, and his wry humor. In 2018, Bill started his own company, Heritage Building Inspections, LLC, providing inspections and consulting for historic sites. Though he worried about going out on his own, it was immediately successful.

Later in life, while researching his biological family, he happily discovered that his ancestry reached back to early New England, including a Mayflower lineage to the John Alden family. That history amazed him. Families he had read about for decades, whose homes and tools were familiar to him, were now part of his own story. The same research would also find family. He welcomed these discoveries with curiosity and excitement and told the story of his expanded family to anyone who would listen. His family was just as thrilled to learn that they were related to him, and though the time they shared was too short, they treasured the chance to know him and were grateful for the unexpected joy he brought into their lives. They were all so proud to be related to Bill.

Bill was also a gifted oil painter. His artwork reflected his love of landscape, architecture, and quiet detail. His paintings carried atmosphere and depth and revealed the careful observer he was. He took a few classes to refresh his skills, but for the most part he was self-taught.

He had a natural ease with animals, especially dogs. He grew up with dogs in the house, and when his sister left home for college, she gifted Bill with a Siberian Husky, Tanzi, the first dog of his own. They trusted him immediately and relaxed in his presence. A veterinarian once told him he might be the original Dr. Dolittle. Anyone who watched him with a dog understood exactly what that meant.

Bill was so proud of his children, William and Julie. He appreciated their individuality and their dedication to their interests, and he was grateful that their family was close. He loved being their father. His marriage to Dianna was a love story built on shared humor, commitment, and steady affection. He gave Dianna credit for him "ever being able to get anything done." He loved being at home, and he also had a sense of when it was time to head off to a conference or speaking engagement, joking that Dianna was probably due for a break from him. They understood and teased each other with love, as people do after marinating in the goodness and complexity of a long marriage. He was her hero, she was his best friend.

Bill is survived by his adoring (and adored) wife, Dianna; his incredible children, William and Julie; his siblings Candace Kwiatek (Kim), Elizabeth M. Sightler (Randy), and William "Billie" W. Mead; close nieces, nephews and cousins; and many friends and colleagues who valued his brilliance, ingenuity, humor, and integrity.

A memorial service will be announced in the spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Bill's memory may be made to Last Chance Ranch, 10 Beck Road, Quakertown, PA 18951.